Lead and kule holder



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

A. A. LOW.

LEAD AND RULE HOLDER.

N0. 383,961. Patented June 5, 1888'.

3 O o 0 O O O O O C W 9741- Ma N. PETERS. Pholn-Lilhographen WahinglomD. O

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. A. LOW.

I LEADAND RULE HOLDER. No. 383,961. Patented June 5, 1888.

'( d m 3 Sheets-Sheet s.

A. A. LOW.

Q LEAD AND RULE HOLDER. No. 383,961. Patented June 5, 1888 n, PETERS,nmnruimn w. wmumnn: D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A. AUGUSTUS LOW, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE ALDEN TYPE MACHINECOMPANY, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y.

LEAD A ND RULE HOLDER.

fiPEOIPIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,961, dated June 5,1888.

Application filed December 22, 1886. Serial No. 222.238. (No model.) i

To on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, A. AUGUSTUS LOW, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lead andRule Holders for Compositors Use, of which the following isaspecification sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the special class of apparatus for holding andpresentingleads and rules heretofore originated by me, for which I haveobtained LettersPatentNo. 356,845, dated February 1, 1887. In this classof apparatus the leads or rules are arranged in line within the channelor holder, to the lower front end of which they descend by their owngravity, and from which they are successively removed through atransverse opening. I have heretofore employed various means forregulating and controlling the width of this transverse opening to adaptit to leads or rules of different thicknesses, or to the simultaneousre- V moval of two or moreleads or rules.

The leading feature in my present invention consists in effecting suchregulation of the transverse opening or exit by means of a slid ing andadjustable plate situated above the leads or rules, and adapted toanswer, also, as cover to the channel or compartment.

I am aware that in my application filed December 16, 1886, Serial No.221,716, I show a somewhat similar arrangement of an adjust able slidingcover; but in such case it is a cover simply, and nothing more, beingdesigned to rest entirely above the leads and rules, espe cially thosecomposing the extreme lower portion of the line, and has nothing to dowith the width of the transverse exit, whereas in my presentconstruction thelower front end of the adjustable front plate isdesigned to project down in front of the upper portion of the last leador rule in the line, and to control the position of the said last leador leads with relation to the fixed edge or bearing upon the side wallin front of which the leads or rules must pass in order to escape. Inother words the space between the said front edge or hearing upon theside wall and the inner surface of the adjustable front plateconstitutes the transverse slot or aperture through which alone theleads or rules can be removed. The simplicity,

cheapness, and effectiveness of this method of creating and controllingthe transverse exit are of practical importance, the construction beingreduced to the fewest possible parts, so that the storage-channelsthemselves may all be fitted in this way to deliver the leads or ruleswhen required and, under the peculiar conditions of my method ofpresentation,without the transfer to or use of specially-constructedduplicate channelholders provided with delivery mechanism, asheretofore.

Still another novel feature of construction consists in the specialformation and combination,with the bottom of the channel, of a spine orstiffener, to the frontend of which the front lower end, rest isattached. The said spine is grooved longitudinally upon opposite sides,and is held in place by internal longitudinal beads or ribs' formed inthelower extensions of the channel-walls, which beads or ribs engage thesaid longitudinal grooves in the spine, at the same time permitting aslight longitudinal adj ustmentofthe spine when necessary for thepurpose of regulating with accuracy the po sition of the front lowerangular line end rest or stop.

In the accompanyingdrawings,Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of myimproved leadandrule-holder channel in a horizontal position;

Fig. 2, an elevation of the right-hand side of the same; Fig. 3, anelevation of the left-hand side of the front portion of the channel orholder; Fig. 4, an elevation of the right-hand front portion of thechannel or holder, showing the front plate lowered; Fig. 5, a frontelevation of the channel or holder resting upon a block or holder bywhich the channel is inclined both laterallyand longitudinally. Fig. 6is a transverse section of the channel upon plane of line at at, Fig. 1.Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the channel; Fig. 8, an elevation of thechannel resting upon a block or holder by which it is inclinedlongitudinally. Fig. 9 is an isometrical perspective of the improvedform of line sustainer and follower used in the channel. Fig. 10 is anisometrical perspective of the front end of the channel or holder empty.Fig. 11 is an elevation of the end line-support and follower ICOprovided with a screw for effecting a change of adjustment ininclination when desirable.

The channel A is rectangular in form, or:- cepting at the frontend,where the front edges, a a, of its side walls, a a, are inclined atthe angle which it is designed the leads or rules shall assume when inline in the channel. The right-hand edge, a is preferably formed withthe projection a, the extreme front, edge of which forms the'rear sideof the transverse slot or opening through which the leads or rules areremoved. The left-hand-side wall,a, is formed with the lower extension,a which projects forward at the left-hand side of the lower front endline rest, B, and sustains the lower leads or rules upon that side.

The lower end line rest, B, is inclined at an opposite angle to that ofthe leads or rules, and is provided with the adjustable toe-piece b,which stops the lower edge of the lowest lead or rule,as shown in thedrawings,and described in my last application. The upper front end rest0 consists of the lower end of the front plate,O, which is adjustablelongitudinally upon the slide or frame D.

The front plate,O,is adjusted for use in such manner that its lower end0 covers and sustains the extreme upper end of the lowest lead and rulein the line, being regulated in position in accordance with therequirements of the various lengths of leads or rules to be used.

The distance between the inner surface of the upper end rest 0 and thefront end of the projection a is regulated by adjusting the slidingcover-plate D (upon the front end,d,of which the front plate,O,ismounted) longitudinally in the proper direction by means of the screw E,or other similar means. As shown, the screw E turns in the stationarybearing e, while its inner threaded end engages a female screw-threadformed in the lug d, projecting upward from the rear of the cover plateD.

The longitudinal adjustment of the front plate, 0, may be accomplishedin any suitable or convenient manner. In the drawings the plate 0 isformed with the longitudinal slot 0, through which set-screws c 0 passbefore engaging female threads formed in the inclined end d of thecover-plate D. Underneath the bottom or floor a of the channel issituated a stiffener or spine, G. This spine G may be permanently orrigidly attached to the channel, if desired; but I prefer to attach itso that it may be adjusted longitudinally in either direction within asmall degree. A convenient way of providing for this is to formlongitudinal grooves g 9 upon opposite sides of the spine, which willreceive and engage internal beads or ribs, a a, formed in the lowerextensions of the side walls, a a. Of course it is obvious that thelongitudinal ribs may be formed upon the spine and the correspondinglongitudinal grooves in the channel side walls, if preferred.

The spine is held in a prescribed position by set-screws g g, which passthrough slots a a, formed in the side walls, a a, and enter the spine.By this means the position of the front lower line end rest, B, which isattached to the forward end of the spine G, may he regulatcd withaccuracy.

It is to be understood that, as heretofore, the front edge, c of theleft-hand wall, a, is situated a sufficient distance behind therighthand front edge of cut-off a to permit of the thumb or finger ofthe operator being pressed against the left-hand edge of the lowestleads or rules, so that they may be quickly and conveniently startedforward toward the right through the exit-space." It'will also benoticed that a free space is left below the cutoff a, which space alsofacilitates the withdrawal of the leads or rules.

The grooves for the sliding cover D may be made by bending over theupper edges of the side walls, as shown; or it may be supported so as toadmit ofthe necessary longitudinal adjustment in any suitable manner.

The end line support, H, may be cast or otherwise formed with thelongitudinal grooves or depressions h h h in its sides andloottom, andits front or bearing surface, It, is inclined at the same angle as thefront edges of the side walls, so as to sustain and carry forward theleads or rules at the proper angle for removal. \Vhen the channel is notin use, the front plate, 0, is lowered into the position shown in Fig.4, so as to inclose and protect the end of the line of leads or rules.

Attached to the spine are two or more feet or rests, G G, which serve toraise the bottom of the channel sufficiently to permit the placing ofthe fingers underneath the channel when it is desired to lift it fromaflat surface, and, besides facilitating the handling of the channelgenerally, afford means for retaining the channel in position upon theblock J, which is shouldered or recessed, as at j j, to receive the feetG. The blockJ is to support the channel in the proper standard inclinedposition, and is simple and ineXpensivein construction.

The end linesupport, H, may be perforated V transversely, as at If, andthe side walls of the channel A may likewise be formed with a series ofperforations, hflwhich will correspond with the hole 7&2 when opposite,so that a pin may be passed through coinciding holes for the purpose oflocking the slug in a prescribed position.

The end line'support and follower, H, may also be provided with a screw,h", similar to the manner shown in my last application for patent; butin the present case the screw not only affords a means of handling thefollower, but also affords a means of regulating or vary ing itsinclination within the channel, if desirable.

It is obvious that the details of construction may be modified orchanged in some respects without deviating from the spirit or intent ofmy invention, and I do not therefore confine myself to the identicalconstruction of parts shown.

I am aware that in my application for patent concurrent herewith, SerialNo. 221,716, filed December 16, 1886, I show and describe certainfeatures of construction which are also shown herein; and I thereforewish it to be understood that I expressly disclaim herein all featuresspecifically claimed in said application and confine myself herein tothe subject-matter of the claims hereinafter set forth.

XVhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, in a lead and rule channel or compartmentsubstantially such as described, of the side walls formed with inclinedfront edges, and a parallel front plate for supporting the upper end ofthe last lead or rule in the line, the said front plate being supportedfrom above, so as to leave a free space upon both sides, for the purposeand substantially in the manner described.

2. In a lead and rule holder substantially such as described, formedwith the open front end and with side walls the front edges of which areinclined and parallel, an inclined front plate parallel to the saidfront edges of the side walls, supported by means substantially such asdescribed, by which it may be adjusted toward or from the said frontedges of the side walls, substantially in the manner and for the purposedescribed.

3. In a lead and rule holder substantially such as described, formedwith the open front end and with side walls the front edges of which areinclined and parallel, an inclined front plate supported above andparallel to the said front edges of the side walls by meanssubstantially such as described, which admit of its being adjusted inposition vertically'to increase or diminish the open'space between itslower end and the floor of the holder, substantially in the manner andfor the purpose described.

4. In a leadiand rule holding and presenting channel substantially suchas described, the bottom spine or stiffener, G, situated underneath thefloor of the channel and having the lower end line-support attached toits front end and being secured between the walls of the channel bymeans which permit of its being adjusted longitudinally, substantiallyin the manner and for the purpose described.

A. AUGUSTUS LOW. Vvitnesses:

GEO. W. MIATT, WM. GARDNER.

